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redemption, we shall have to pay greater attention to the intervening sections; at present
we are limiting our study to that of the cherubim.
"So He drove out the man, and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden
cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of
life" (Gen. 3: 24).
The pledge of paradise restored.
The cherubim stand closely connected with man's loss.
"So He drove out the man."--"Drove out" (garash) is used for "putting away" and
"divorcing" a wife in Scripture (Lev. 21: 7-14). It is used of those who were driven out
of the land forfeited and given as an inheritance to Israel (Exod. 33: 2). Its use here is
significant of man's forfeiture.
"And placed in a tabernacle."--The Hebrew word "placed" is shaken. Its most usual
translation is "to dwell". With the prefix "m" (mishkan) it occurs 138 times, and of these
it is translated 119 times of the tabernacle. The first occurrence of mishkan reveals it to
be preeminently a holy dwelling place for God:--
"And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell (shaken) among them.
According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle (mishkan)"
(Exod. 25: 8, 9).
At the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden it was rendered tenantless. Man
could no longer walk in happy fellowship with his maker, God could no longer walk with
man without mediation and:--
"So He drove out the man, and caused to dwell as in a tabernacle at the east of the
garden, the cherubim."
From this time onward, until the forfeited paradise shall be restored, the cherubim
become the visible representatives of God among men, and by their composition, which
we shall examine presently, they became the pledge of his restoration. When that
restoration is complete, then shall the tabernacle of God be with men, and He will dwell
with them, and then shall access once more be given to the tree of life (Rev. 21: 3; and
22: 1-5).
"And a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."
Psalm. 104: 4 tells us that the Lord's ministers are a "flaming fire", and nothing can
endure the withering destruction of this flaming sword, Joel 2: 3; and Psa. 97: 3.
Here together with the cherubim we have a flaming sword.